In The Kitchen With Daniel Emilio

We first worked with Daniel for our PORTA opening party in October of 2022, where he piled our table high with focaccia, salt mounds and dipping oil. He takes the concept of abundance seriously and gathers food in a way that showcases and centres its natural bounty and flavor without compromise. Hearing him talk about the food he is preparing is like being taken on a magical ride back to the birthplace of whatever he is describing, the producers discussed with as much intimacy and care as the food they coax from the ground.  He leads with passion and excitement, and sometimes you don’t know if he is discussing sun dried tomatoes or someone that he is in love with! Both equally enthralling.

Q&A

When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
I can barely call myself a cook let alone a chef but, I knew that I loved making a mess in the kitchen at a very young age.

What’s the first recipe you developed? How do you feel about it now?
Instead of roasting the grapes in cinnamon I used to roast broccoli. I'm ashamed of it and I'm sorry to anyone who I made eat it.

Most under and overrated ingredients?
Underrated is coratina olive oil. Spicy, earthy, complex. Also agrodolce. Overrated? I would say infused salts and oils.

What’s your favorite restaurant?
I love and hate this question. It depends. I need parameters. What's my favorite restaurant when I'm feeling melancholic? Sitting at the bar at Balthazar. What's my favorite restaurant when I'm feeling gluttonous? Wu's Wonton King. What's my favorite just because it's Tuesday? il Buco. The list goes on.

Recipe: Cinnamon Roasted Grapes with Whipped Ricotta  

Ingredients: 

Red, green and blue grapes
Olive Oil
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Bread
Ricotta 
Honey
Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh Thyme
Salt
Pepper

To Made: For this recipe, I like to use red, green and blue grapes. The colors pop even though they’re being roasted in a delectable cinnamon balsamic sauce .  When choosing the grapes, look for small to medium sized grapes and choose varieties that have a more mild flavor. Don’t use grapes like cotton candy or concord. They’re too sweet and will sabotage the spice of the cinnamon. Let her be spicy.

Ok so, to start, set your oven to 375. 

Rinse and halve your grapes lengthwise. This will be very therapeutic because knife skills are not required. Just patience and intention. 

Once done, toss your grapes in oil, brown sugar, and cinnamon and then evenly spread them out in a rimmed baking sheet. Don’t just throw the grapes in there, be sure to spread out so they cook evenly. You’re also going to want each grape to bathe in the cinnamon-balsamic goodness. 

Now, drizzle your balsamic vinegar on the grapes and be sure to evenly coat them. Add a pinch of salt and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Get your bread and cut some hearty slices. Il Buco Alimentari has a fantastic selection of house made breads courtesy of baker Sheena Otto. The raisin fennel loaf of focaccia fino is my favorite. If you want a baguette go to Frenchette. Lol. Anyway, slice the bread. Toast in the oven.

Now for the whipped ricotta. It’s a fancy way of saying that it’s been put in a food processor. Get yours and spoon in your ricotta. Slowly add in your olive oil, lemon juice, a touch of honey, maldon and pepper. Pulse for 2 minutes. It’s ready. Set aside.

Take your toasted bread out of the oven. A few minutes later pull your grapes out of the oven. Pipe your ricotta on the bread, spoon your grapes over it, add some fresh thyme and enjoy.

PORTA offers a uniquely honed edit of homewares from Europe bringing unique character and thoughtful design to your table and home in a way that simultaneously celebrates tradition while embracing contemporary style. Through our travels, interests and obsessions we bring storied traditions and histories to light so they can be engaged with in new ways. Many chefs explore and play with similar interests and ideas through food, and in our seriesIn The Kitchen With…we hope to highlight the joy and creativity that happens from stove to table by inviting chefs to whip up something wonderful on (or accessorized by) PORTA products. Each chef is generously sharing their recipe with us so that we can all recreate the magic at home, and answering a few questions about their love of food and approach to bringing people together around the table.